Mary Gillen, Co-Developer of Idea Site for
Business, has
over 20 years experience in freelance commercial
copywriting, graphics design, web design and creative marketing concepts.
Idea Site for Business was featured in Microsoft Corporation's TV series "America At Work: A Roadmap To The Internet", and highlighted in such publications as The LA Times, PC Novice Magazine and many others.
Mary has developed Web sites for such organizations as The World Bank, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Cancer Research Foundation of America, Allergy Supply Company and many others.
She also teaches Web development courses for EEI Communications (http://www.
eeicom.com) in Alexandria, VA that include HTML, DHTML, JavaScript, CGI Scripting, XML, NetObjects Fusion, Web Graphics Using Photoshop and Cold Fusion.
Mary can be reached by phone at 703-339-7400
or by e-mail at mpgillen
@mindspring.com
The Reality
The Potential
The Difference
Test the Web
With Us
Advertising Now Available on Idea Site
The Potential
The Difference
Test the Web
With Us
Advertising Now Available on Idea Site
Hope
by Mary GillenCo-Developer - Idea Site for Business
In his book Walden, Henry David Thoreau writes about a man who weaves baskets because he's good at it. He believes people wealthier than himself will buy them.
When he tries to sell the baskets, the entrepreneur is turned down. He thinks the world is out to starve him. He thinks he's done his part because he has made the baskets. It's up to the rest of the world to do their part to buy them...immediately and without question.
Wrong.
If you want to be in business, you have to offer services or products that people want. It was true back in Thoreau's day and it remains the truth today.
They won't buy it if they don't feel they need it.
One of the first rules of marketing is to find the need and fill it. As small business people we have to constantly market ourselves, no matter what products or services we sell. Do you really know what's going on in the marketplace? Have your customers' needs changed? It may be time for you to take an inventory of your skills. And it may be time for you to retrain yourself so you'll have what it takes to survive for another ten years in business.
Businesses are constantly evolving. New technologies are adopted, new ways of conducting business are formed and tested. Products and services are born, live for a certain time and then fade away. It's the same for both large organizations and small businesses.
Being creative in business means that eventually you have to put certain skills, products and services to rest after they've served the marketplace. This is truly frightening. But think of it this way: invest in new knowledge frequently and you'll be way ahead of your competition. You'll remain marketable for as long as you want to be.
These days about half my time is spent training people to use technology to build effective Web sites. Yes, I am instructing people how to use HTML. But what I am really teaching is hope. Small business owners, editors, proofreaders, marketing gurus, writers, graphic artists, middle managers, secretaries, nuclear engineers, physicians, nurses and others come to class scared but ready and willing to learn something new. Some are currently unmarketable. Many need to improve so they can keep their jobs or client base. They're facing change, yet have overcome the real fear of admitting they are students at something. They are my heroes.
It only takes six hours for these folks to understand that they can create something new for themselves. They are revved. They're in control. It's not so bad, this change. And many continue to build on these new skills, one step at a time.
So don't be afraid to learn how to make the baskets that people want to buy.
They will.
Copyright © 1999 Mary Gillen. All Rights Reserved.
Also by Mary Gillen:
to Market Your Business
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